MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Late in the first quarter Tuesday night, LeBron James emerged from the Lakers’ locker room with a baseball cap on backward and a knee-high walking boot on his right foot, the first tangible evidence of the grave situation the Lakers find themselves in during the NBA's final quarter of the season.
While no one is specifying the exact nature of his injury, what the treatment plans are or if a return this season can be assured, they mystery around James and his foot is pretty limited.
He’s out now. No one can say for sure if or when he’ll be back.
And the Lakers? They’ve got to figure this out without him.
With the player most capable of staring down a star and going hoop-for-hoop with one of the NBA’s best unavailable, the Lakers’ couldn’t do enough against Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies, losing 121-109 to snap a three-game winning streak.
Morant scored 39 to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but he did the most damage in a sublime third quarter when he relentlessly attacked a rotation of Lakers defenders with his unmatched speed and athleticism.
Possession after possession Morant evaded whichever yellow jersey stood in front of him, flying past or over the defense with a mixture of floaters and layups making him totally unstoppable for 12 straight minutes.
In the quarter, Morant made 10 of 12 shots from the field and eight of nine free throws to score 28 points. He had three assists leading to eight more Grizzlies’ points.
In a perfect world, the Lakers would’ve had James to fire back — to bully his way to the basket and get to the line to slow momentum.
He could only watch.
The Lakers’ remaining superstar, Anthony Davis, anchored the defense for most of a scrappy first half and his attacking basket right at Jaren Jackson Jr. and free throw cut the Grizzlies lead to four at 110-106.
Davis would finish with 28 points, 19 rebounds and five blocked shots, but the Lakers never got closer, the Grizzlies firing right back with an 11-3 run to close out the Lakers.
Memphis was aided by 26 Lakers turnovers leading to 41 Grizzlies points, the frustration among guards like Dennis Schroder obvious as the Lakers couldn’t get a win as they begin an uncertain final path without James.
